A ONE year two-month-old infant has been diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the youngest so far recorded in the North.
The infant is among the eight new cases recorded from August last year to May this year for the division.
The North has recorded a total of 107 cases this year compared with 99 cases recorded in August last year.
At the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial service in Labasa on Sunday night, Northern Reproductive Health Clinic acting senior medical officer Doctor Waisale Turuva said this case was reported last week.
“It saddens me so much because this baby is innocent, yet diagnosed with HIV,” he said.
“This is the latest case reported last week and the youngest in the North we have recorded so far.
“I am pleading with you all to treasure your lives, to you young girls and boys, value your lives and be proud of who God made you to be.”
Dr Turuva has called on stakeholders to work together to prevent the spread of this virus.
“We all play an important role and we need to fight this virus or disease because one day, AIDS will lose,” he said.
Fiji has a total of 930 cases of HIV/AIDS with the first case recorded in 1989.
Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete last month revealed in Parliament that out of this total, 468 were on HIV treatment of which 444 were adults and 13 infants.